Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Sioux Falls Stampede are set to face the Waterloo Black Hawks in the Western Conference Semifinals of the Clark Cup Playoffs. The Stampede will host Games 1 and 2 this Friday and Saturday at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center before heading to Waterloo for the next two games. 

Sioux Falls enters the semifinals after receiving a first-round bye in the Clark Cup Playoffs. To close out the regular season, the Stampede took on the Fargo Force in a home-and-home series last weekend. On Friday night in Fargo, several affiliate players joined the lineup, and the Stampede fell 6-3. After trailing 4-0, goals from Ben Wilmott, Jake Merens, and Anthony Bongo cut the deficit to just one, but two quick goals from the Force sealed the loss. The Stampede bounced back on Saturday at home with a 5-2 win over the Force. Top scorers Ethan Wyttenbach and Reid Varkonyi led the charge with multi-point performances. The victory marked Sioux Falls' 40th win of the season. The first time they've reached that milestone since the 2012–13 campaign.

The Waterloo Black Hawks advanced to the semifinals after sweeping the Tri-City Storm in a best-of-three series earlier this week. On Monday, Tri-City took a one-goal lead into the first intermission, scoring at 17:05 of the opening period. Waterloo tied it up midway through the second and clinched the win with the game-winner at 13:57 of the third. Riding that momentum into Tuesday, the Black Hawks defeated the Storm 7-3 to move on. They opened the scoring just 1:55 into the game, but Tri-City responded quickly. By the end of the first, both teams had scored again. The Storm trailed by only one heading into the third, but the Black Hawks netted three unanswered goals to close out the series.

During the regular season, Sioux Falls and Waterloo faced off four times, with the Black Hawks winning all four matchups. The Stampede hope to capitalize on home-ice advantage to turn the tide in the playoffs. 

Fans are in for a treat this weekend!

Friday Night: The first 500 fans through the doors will receive a Stampede team picture poster, courtesy of Sioux Falls Specialty Hospital. During the first intermission, the popular air mattress race returns, followed by Knocker Balls in the second intermission.

Saturday Night: The fun continues with Mr. Twister, face painting, a scavenger hunt, and a photo booth in the concourse. Before puck drop, the Stampede are also hosting an Easter Trail, where fans can stop by the tables in the concourse to pick up candy and other prizes. The first 2,500 fans will receive a Playoff Rally Towel, courtesy of Prairie Farms Dairy. Our friends from 605 Ninja will perform an aerial silks act during the first intermission, and Chuck-A-Puck will take place in the second intermission, with proceeds benefiting the Washington High School Soccer Program.

Tickets for both Western Conference Semifinal games are available here.

The full Western Conference schedule is below: 
    Game 1: WAT @ Sioux Falls – Friday, April 18 | 7:05 PM CST
    Game 2: WAT @ Sioux Falls – Saturday, April 19 | 6:05 PM CST
    Game 3: Sioux Falls @ WAT – Monday, April 21 I 6:35 PM CST
    Game 4*: Sioux Falls @ WAT – Tuesday, April 22 I 6:35 PM CST 
    Game 5*: WAT @ Sioux Falls – Friday, April 25 | 7:05 PM CST